It is recommended that children visit the dentist for bi-annual check ups starting as early as 1 year old or when they have their first tooth come in. Children should not just see any dentist though. They should only see a pediatric dentist. These are highly specialized dentists that have additional training and expertise in care for the teeth of babies, toddlers, kids, and young teens. Typically most children should see a pediatric dentist all the way until all of their adult teeth are in, which includes the wisdom teeth.
Training and Qualifications
In order for a dentist to begin practicing in pediatric dentistry in Delaware, they must pass additional schooling and residency beyond what a normal dentist would have to go through. First off, an aspiring pediatric dentist must go through four years of college and obtain a bachelors degree. After that an aspiring pediatric dentist must then apply and get accepted into an accredited dental school. The aspiring dentist must then complete four years of dental school to receive a DDS or DMD degree. After that the aspiring pediatric dentist must complete an additional two to three years of additional education specifically related to pediatric dentistry, which includes residency.
After all of the education, an aspiring dentist is then required to apply for and receive a license for pediatric dentistry in Delaware. Some pediatric dentists take things a step further and seek additional certifications from other professional organizations like the American Dental Association (ADA) or the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). After all of this, this a person can then finally practice pediatric dentistry.
Choosing a Pediatric Dentist
When choosing a pediatric dentist, parents need to pay careful attention to all of a pediatric dentist’s educational credentials, certifications, and licenses. To be extra thorough, parents can then do a follow up on the pediatric dentist’s education and certifications to make sure that they were received from accredited institutions. Finally, a background check should be done to make sure that there are not any red flags that pop up on their past history. This includes checking on the places where the pediatric dentists has practiced in the past and their past experience.
Taking the time to choose the right pediatric dentist is a very important endeavor. There is a lot of education involved as well as many years of training before a person can be declared a pediatric dentist. In addition to that, they must also come with high recommendation from both their peers as well as from past and current patients or parents of patients. A child’s first experience with a pediatric dentist should be a great one. This can lead to a long history of great oral health.
Dr. Robert Collins and Dr. Dale Collins have over 50 years of experience in pediatric dentistry in Delaware between the two of them. They proudly serve the young pediatric patients of Wilmington, Newark, New Castle County and Hockessin, Delaware. Kids will leave with a very positive experience at the friendly dentist office.
